1) Clean out the linen closet. Do you have gently used or new blankets and towels that are just cluttering up your closets? Shelters can always use both. Pet Alliance says for every pet that is spayed or neutered, three towels are used to keep them warm. And blankets come in handy during the winter.

For
ever animal spayed or neutered in our veterinary clinics, three towels
are used to keep them warm and dry - See more at:
http://www.petallianceorlando.org/ways-give/wish-list/#sthash.FPAh497j.dpuf

For
ever animal spayed or neutered in our veterinary clinics, three towels
are used to keep them warm and dry - See more at:
http://www.petallianceorlando.org/ways-give/wish-list/#sthash.FPAh497j.dpuf

For
ever animal spayed or neutered in our veterinary clinics, three towels
are used to keep them warm and dry - See more at:
http://www.petallianceorlando.org/ways-give/wish-list/#sthash.FPAh497j.dpuf

2) Pick up extra cleaning supplies at the store. Getting some laundry detergent or paper towels? Pick up some extra for your shelter. They always need cleaning supplies to keep the shelter as sterile as possible.

3) Shop online. There are lots of sites like Adoptashelter.com. The site is a portal where you choose a shelter you want to donate to, and then go to the website you want to shop at through the site. A portion of the purchase will go to that shelter.4) Crosspost. I know. It's tough to see dogs in shelters, looking so miserable. And you get emotionally invested. You can't save them all. And I know a lot of people who get upset when people post dog after dog after dog on Facebook or Twitter. One, it's depressing, and people don't like to be depressed. Two, people don't like to feel helpless.

So tread carefully. I stick to local dogs, and I tend to stick to beagles. I post them primarily on the Life With Beagle Facebook page, but sometimes in my feed too. Remember that when you help get a dog out of a shelter, you are saving two dogs: the one that is adopted/rescued, and the one that might otherwise be killed immediately because the shelter is overcrowded.

Also -- and this might be easier to deal with. Crosspost lost and found pets. There are many Facebook groups and Twitter accounts that report pets that are lost and found. In Orlando, there's a Facebook lost and found pets group for practically every neighborhood.

By reuniting pets with their owners in your community, you are keeping those pets out of the shelters.

5) Take care of your own pet. Pet Alliance of Greater Orlando suggest two important things: Microchip your pet and make sure to register your chip and keep the contact information up to date. If your pet becomes lost, someone can scan for the chip and reunite you two.

And, if possible, spay or neuter your pet. Like Bob Barker says, control the pet population! Extra puppies is in the world, while cute, can be a burden.